Farm land and watersheds need more protection say growth plan critics
Dec 03, 2008 - 11:10 AM
By Reka Szekely
DURHAM -- It will have to be a quick, fierce debate on how Durham should grow as the June deadline for Durham to complete its plan draws closer.
The Region is working on conforming to the Province's growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, an area ringing Lake Ontario from Niagara through Durham. The Province has allocated 373,200 new residents for Durham through 2031, which would bring the Region's population to 960,000.
At a recent planning committee meeting, councillors got reaction to their consultants' final recommendations on how to grow.
Ivan DeJong, chairman of the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee (DAAC), raised concerns about the loss of prime farm lands, especially those near Lake Ontario, to development.
"There's no consideration of the best agricultural land. To us as the DAAC, it's the same old, same old," he said, adding that a farmer near Port Perry has 10 less harvesting days than a farmer near the lake, where it's warmer.
Mr. DeJong said there needs to be buffer between farm lands and residential areas otherwise farmers will be limited. For example, a hog operation can't be next to a subdivision.
The Region's planning commissioner, Alex Georgieff, defended the plan and said more than 80 per cent of the Region falls under the Greenbelt and is protected from development. Much of that land is agriculture.
"We've got some of the most powerful agricultural policies in the province in terms of protecting the agricultural community."
Several environmental groups called on Durham to create a watershed plan before moving forward. Of particular concern is the Carruthers Creek's headwaters in north Pickering.
"We believe that any discussion about adding the Carruthers Creek headwaters to the urban boundary prior to any watershed study would be premature," said Sarah Dopp of the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance.
As it stands, watershed plans would be conducted under secondary plans when new neighbourhoods are planned.
Though the Province only allows the Region to designate land use through 2031, the consultants looked at the big picture through 2056. It is in that latter time frame that Clarington's employment lands along the Highway 407/401 link are set to be developed. Clarington Councillor Mary Novak said it would be a wasted opportunity if the Region didn't do it in the 2031 time frame.
But the consultants said Durham must rationalize development to the Province and their forecasts show there wasn't enough demand in Clarington to justify moving it up.
Although some developers had concerns about the zoning of particular parcels of land, they supported the plan overall.
Lucy Stocco, a vice-president for Tribute and speaking for Runnymede too, said her company participated in all of the public meetings and she supported the consultants' recommendations.
She said all the environmental plans that have to be done will be done.
"Nobody's trying to get out of doing a watershed plan, they're very important."
The debate is set to continue at public meetings after the planning department drafts a set of amendments to the Region's official plan based on the consultants' work. The Province has given council until June to approve amendments to the plan.
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